Fly Ash Plate #26700

A set of three flat plates, all thrown from the same clay and drawn from the same place in the kiln: directly behind the first firebox of the Sasukenei Kiln in Weimar, one of the hottest points of the firing.

Each plate rests on a slender foot ring that lifts it clear of the table and gives it a light, almost floating presence. During the firing a thin veil of fly ash drifted across all three and reacted with the soda porcelain slip. Where more ash settled, the surface turns green and grows smoother and more sealed. Where less reached the clay, the plates stay paler, sand-warm and open, with a deliberately rough, living skin. The set moves between the two poles of a single reaction, from the ash-glazed piece to the bright, open-pored one.

One of the plates stood directly above the others in the kiln. Where it rested on its wadding, three pale spots were left free of ash, a direct imprint of the stacking in the fire and quiet proof that these three pieces were truly fired together.

In use, the plates lean into their origin. The paler, rougher pieces are only partly suited to cutting, but they come into their own as a stage for presentation. A slice of cake, a few figs or grapes, a spread of cheese, warm bread or a small first course all gain something on this matte, earthy ground. Set on their own, each plate brings its own character to the table; brought out together, they read as a family shaped by the same fire.

Dimensions (each plate): Ø 18 cm · Height 3 cm